How to Extract Music From an iPod

Your new iTunes music library no doubt looks pretty stark if you've just purchased a new computer. One way to make the digital music collection on your laptop or desktop respectable involves turning to your iPod. While Apple doesn't sanction the practice, an array of software developers on the Internet offer applications that will enable you to extract music from an iPod and put the songs on your computer quickly and inexpensively.

Things You'll Need

iPod

iPod-compatible USB cable

Computer with iTunes

iPod file-transfer software

Verify that your computer has a 9.0 or later version of iTunes installed. If not, download a copy for free from www.apple.com, install it, and open the program on your computer.

Download an iPod file-transfer application from the Internet, such as iRip, Senuti or CopyTrans, and install on your computer. Open the program. Note the warning below with iRip software.

Plug in the USB cable to your iPod and computer. Once the file-transfer program has recognized your iPod, choose what songs you want to extract from your iPod. Then, initiate the transfer, which could take between five and 20 minutes, depending on the amount of songs you are moving from your iPod to your computer.

Check your iTunes and verify that all of the songs you sought to move have transferred once the synching stops. Disconnect the iPod from your computer by hitting the eject button next to the image of your iPod on the left of the iTunes screen. Unplug the USB cable from your iPod and computer.

Tips & Warnings

If using iRip software, its developers warn to hold down the "Option" and "Command" keys as you connect your iPod to the computer to avoid losing content on your iPod.